Snow removal machines with an auger unit including a blower for removing snow accumulated on a road surface or the like include a known snow removal machine disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI-3-137311. The auger unit of this snow removal machine including the blower will be described with reference to FIG. 10.
In the auger unit 200 shown in FIG. 10, rotation of a drive shaft 201 causes an auger (not shown) to rotate and also causes a blower 202 to rotate as shown by arrow “a.” Rotation of the auger causes snow to be collected to the center in the transverse direction. Advancement of the auger unit 200 causes the collected snow to be brought into a blower housing 203.
The snow brought into the blower housing 203 is thrown up by a plurality of throwing-up blades 204 of the blower 202 toward a chute 205 as shown by arrow “b.” The chute 205 is provided on top of the blower housing 203. The snow is thrown through the chute 205 onto a desired location.
In the accumulated snow, a foreign matter 206 such as a stone can be buried. The foreign matter 206 can enter a gap 207 between the blower 202 and the blower housing 203.
When the foreign matter 206 enters the gap 207, the blower 202 presses the foreign matter 206 against the blower housing 203, increasing the frequency of catching the foreign matter 206 in the gap 207. When the foreign matter 206 is caught in the gap 207, it is necessary to remove the foreign matter 206 from the gap 207, becoming a burden on an operator.
While the foreign matter 206 is removed from the gap 207, the auger unit 200 should be stopped. Nonoperating time of the auger unit 200 becomes longer, which prevents an increase in workability.
When the foreign matter 206 is caught in the gap 207, a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the blower 202 and the blower housing 203, deforming the blower 202 and the blower housing 203.
It is thus desirable to avoid catching a foreign matter in a gap between a blower and a blower housing.
In order to throw up snow within the blower housing 203 toward the chute 205 as shown by arrow “b,” it is necessary to carry the snow on the throwing-up blades 204. When a large amount of snow enters the blower housing 203, some snow is left on supporting members supporting the throwing-up blades 204. Specifically, the supporting members are located in the vicinities of the center of the blower 202, thus having a throwing-up force smaller than that of the throwing-up blades 204. Snow carried on the supporting members thus remains on the supporting members without being thrown up.
The remaining snow on the supporting members adds its weight to the blower, preventing the blower from providing a sufficient torque to efficiently throw up snow to the chute. Further, for an extra load to the blower, it is required to increase the strength of the blower to withstand the load, which is unfavorable for reducing the weight of the blower.
Similarly, the output of the engine should be set larger than necessary in view of the application of an excessive load to the blower, which is unfavorable for reducing the size of the engine.
It is thus desired to prevent snow from remaining on the supporting members of the blower.